Spring Mack Days enters final week

There are just two days left in Spring Mack Days – the event sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and sanctioned by Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks to bring lake-trout populations down in Flathead Lake.

Up to $225,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded to anglers May 13, and competition ends Friday, May 12. But there’s still time: Enter one lake trout and qualify for lottery prizes from $50-$2,000. Check out the categories and different ways to win on the website www.mackdays.com.

Total fish count for the event is up to 31,062 lake trout turned in by 198 anglers. There are 611 anglers entered. Total count for last Friday was 935, making this the highest tally since 2019, when anglers caught 40,362. Since then, totals were 27,331 in 2020, 27,561 in 2021 and 21,023 in 2022.

Some valuable trout are still out there, including one tagged for $10,000, three for $5,000, and six for $1,000, plus over 9,000 with values from $100 to $500. There were five tagged lake trout turned in over the past weekend. Jason Mahlen of Kalispell turned in two $100 tagged lake trout on Friday and Sunday; Jack Kirkland of Lolo had a $200 tag; and Terry Krogstad of Kalispell and Dmitrey Zalenskiy of Kalispell each had $100 tags. Jason and Terry were sitting next to each other when Terry reeled in a lake trout and shouted over to Jason it had a clipped fin. Jason at that time felt his line get a hit and reeled in another clipped trout. Both anglers had smiles at the end of the long day.

Tristin Persico of Missoula reported catching a nice rod on Saturday – one he had lost three hours earlier.

Top Ten anglers will be placed by their 18-day average at the conclusion of the competition. Kolton Turner is leading the pack with a total of 2,056 lake trout entries caught over 24 days of weekend angling. His 18-day average is 95.72. Robert Turner of Kalispell has a total of 1,656 with a 78.28 average; third is Jason Mahlen with 1,576, and a 87.56 average; fourth is Mike Benson of Lonepine with 1,059; and fifth is Jerry Benson of Plains with 1,043.

Leah Banyai of Kalispell is first in the Ladies Category with 312, followed by Julie Perkins of Kalispell with 176 and Connie Jones of Kalispell with 91.

70 and Over leader is Mike Benson with 1,059, followed by Terry Krogstad with 815 and Larry Ashwell of Missoula with 572. Anglers who are in the Top Ten give up a category if they qualify in two, so the leaders in this category may change.

Brodie Smith of Kalispell continues his lead in the 13-17 Category with 277 and Wyatt Best of Florence still is leading in the 12 and Under Category with 14.

Rick Skates of Big Arm turned in the Heaviest Bucket of Fish at 26.4 pounds for $200; second went to Bryan Long and Joe Minnehan of Kalispell with 20.55 pounds; and third went to Todd Morigeau of Polson with a bucket weight of 18.1.

Long still has the largest lake trout entry with a 36.6-pound, 45.5-inch catch. Smallest entries were caught by Steve Benson at 157mm (6 inches) and Jerry Benson at 151mm.

Competition ends on Friday, May 12, and the event wraps up on Saturday, May 13, when awards will be given for that day only; entries must be turned in by 3 p.m. Cash Drawings for $100-$400, awards of $200 for Captains; Ladies, $100; 70 and Over, $100; and a Siberian cooler will be handed out, as well as prizes for the largest lake trout under 30 inches. Saturday’s catch doesn’t count for bonus awards.

There will be a small awards ceremony Saturday but no fish fry. Lottery awards will be posted and cash awards will be mailed the following week.